Chapter 7: Bonding
Poppy was in tears as she left the school, looking behind her to see her brother was behind her and he looked very upset. "I hate that they're starting up rumors about the Hauntleys," he said. "I mean, yeah, we know they're vampires, but...they're still taking care of us and they haven't hurt us."
"And who do the bullies think they are that they can just say that stuff?" His sister asked, looking more upset.
The two heard the family car pull up and they silently got in, seeing Oxana smile at them before she saw their faces. "Oh," she said softly. "Was it not a good day in school?"
Edgar shook his head, seeing Vampirina get into the car too. "No," he said. "The other kids are spreading rumors about us and saying some horrible things about you guys."
"Oh, dear," Oxana said softly before they headed for home.
Vampirina sighed. "I'm sorry," she said.
Poppy looked at her. "Vee, I know you and your folks said you wouldn't hurt us, but...some kids were saying that you'd turn us into monsters or worse," she said.
"No way," Vampirina said. "That would never happen."
"We'd never do that to you two," Oxana promised them before they got out of the car and headed in the house. Boris greeted them and when he heard about what happened at school, he sighed.
"I'll never understand why some children feel they can be mean to others," he said before seeing Poppy was sad. He decided that the kids needed some cheering up, so he scooped up Poppy, making her gasp as he smiled and held her up like a parent would a child when they were proud of them. "Come on, let's get you two feeling better."
With that, he gently began tossing Poppy up into the air and catching her, surprising her before she began giggling as he did it again. "And up you go!" He said in a silly voice before he caught her again and playfully held her upside down, making her giggle uncontrollably, which made him smile before he lifted her back upright again.
Poppy reached for him and he pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back, wondering if this was what it was like to have a dad, since she and Edgar had never had a dad before. Vampirina giggled as she saw that. "Daddy's always good at cheering me up," she said before turning into a bat and flying up to Poppy's shoulder. "I'm glad he could cheer you up too."
"Me too, Vee," the young girl said with a smile.
Vampirina then flew away to do her homework while Boris smiled at Poppy. "Do you want to come help me build a model flying hearse?" He asked. "I got a new model and I could use a little helper."
"Sure," she said as he carried her down to the basement. He then set her on his work bench and pulled out the model kit. Boris looked as happy as a kid getting the best present and his enthusiasm rubbed off onto Poppy, who couldn't help giggling at his antics.
If I could have any dad in the world, I'd pick Mr. Hauntley hands down, she thought to herself as she helped him work on the model.
In the living room, Edgar sighed and Oxana sat down beside him. "Edgar, are what the other kids said bothering you?" She asked.
"Yeah," the boy said. "And it's not fair to you guys. I mean, yeah, you're a vampire family, but...you haven't hurt me or Poppy once or made us eat bad food." He winced. "Not that Remy makes bad food."
"I know what you mean, young one," the skeleton said from the kitchen, poking his head out and smiling. "I would never serve you bad food."
Relieved the skeleton didn't take offense, the boy nodded before looking back at Oxana, who smiled. "Edgar, despite you and your sister being human and the rest of us being vampires or other monsters, we all still have thoughts and feelings," she said.
He nodded before feeling her pull him into a hug and he hugged her back, liking that Oxana gave great hugs just like his own mother had done when she was alive. "You give hugs just like Mom used to," he said.
Oxana smiled at the compliment before snapping her fingers and a large tome came to her hands. "How about I read you a few stories?" She offered.
He looked curious. "Um, don't you think I'm a little old for that?" He asked.
The vampire woman got a gleam in her eyes, one that made him gulp and back up a bit, but Oxana grabbed him and pulled him into her lap. "You think you're too old for a story?" She asked playfully before tickling Edgar's stomach.
"EEEEEEEE! AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The boy laughed, trying to escape, but then Oxana tickled his neck, making him squeak and giggle.
Seeing this, she let the boy up. "No one's too old for a story," she said, playfully tapping his nose with her pointer finger.
Edgar sat up while still giggling a bit before looking curious. "What kind of stories?" He asked. "Are they weird and cool?"
Oxana smiled, not taking offense as she knew Edgar was into stuff that was different, which was probably why he took most stuff humans deemed weird in stride. "Well, let's see," she said, opening the tome. "We have the ghost who lost his shriek. The mummy that couldn't dance. And one of my favorites from when I was your age, the moon and the bat."
The boy looked thoughtful. "They all sound really cool," he said.
"Then I'll read all three to you," she offered. "Which one would you like first?"
"How about the ghost one?"
Turning the pages to the story, Oxana began reading aloud while Edgar sat beside her, looking at the pages as she read before she moved her arm so that she could hug him while reading and he didn't mind, remembering when his own mother would read to him and Poppy. After a moment, he felt someone pick him up and gently place him in Oxana's lap, but he was so focused on listening to the story of the ghost that he didn't notice Demi had done that.
Oxana had noticed, but continued to read as Edgar curled up in her lap, listening intently. The story of the ghost had just finished when Boris and Poppy came up with the finished model of the hearse. Boris smiled at his wife. "Oh, are you reading some stories, my love?" He asked.
"Yes, dear," she said with a smile. "Edgar was about to tell me which other story he wanted to hear."
"How about the moon and the bat one?" The boy asked. "Since you said it's your favorite from when you were my age."
"The Moon And The Bat?" Boris asked with a wide smile. "Ah, that one is a family favorite."
"What's it about?" Poppy asked curiously.
"It's about a bat who wanted to see what the moon saw," Vampirina said with a giggle.
Oxana smiled. "Come gather around," she said. "And I'll begin the story."
As they gathered around to listen intently to the story, Spooker smiled as he watched them from the tree in the yard, the one that faced the window looking into the living room. He saw the twins bonding with their adoptive parents and he smiled. "Master will be happy to hear they are doing well," he said to himself.
Phantasia had been keeping an eye on things, and so far, the ones looking for the kids had been unsuccessful because Edna had covered up her tracks, something Spooker was glad for.
He then saw the kids set up Skelly Run to play and grinned, putting the worries in the back of his mind as he watched over the family.
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GoldGuardian2418
